Promise
by whirlwinds of watercolours
Summary: Jane makes a promise to her brother. And she will go to any lengths to keep it.


**Title: Promise**

**Summary: Jane makes a promise to her brother. And she will go to any lengths to keep it.****  
**

**Author: Memento Vivere**

**Rating: T, for angst.**

**Word Count: 1272**

**A/N: This is just a short one-shot I wrote for fun. ****Enjoy!**

* * *

Jane stared at the setting sun, signifying another end to a meaningless day.

The red ball of fire, dipping over the horizon, sent piercing rays of light which glanced off Jane's skin, creating glittering rubies which danced prettily in the fading light.

Jane did not notice any of this. Neither did she notice the lush green plants which decorated the balcony she sat in thriving, nor the amazing view which the balcony offered of the quaint streets of Volterra and the rolling plains beyond. Her only thoughts were on Alec.

Alec. Her heart would clench, a lump would form in her throat at the mere mention of her twin brother's name. Alec was her perfect counterpart, the other half of her. The hole in her chest increased in size, threatening to swallow her.

Because Alec was dead.

And it was all her fault.

She had not been a good older sister, taking care of her younger brother. She recalled the last conversation they had, the last conversation they would _ever_ have.

* * *

"_Alec, you'll be fine. It's just a short trip to visit the Romanians and check up on them to make sure they aren't up to anything bad."_

"_Jane," he argued pleadingly, "I know it's a short trip, but it's not my safety I'm concerned about. What if something bad happens to you here at the castle? I won't be here to protect you. If you're with me on the mission, at least I know you're safe."_

_Jane's temper flared. "I don't need anybody's protection, least of all yours!" she snarled, her pretty face twisting into an ugly sneer. "I can take care of myself! It's just an excuse so that I would go with you! Must you be such a baby and rely on your elder sister to be there to catch you every time you fall?"_

* * *

She had remembered the hurt look on his face as she slammed the door to her room on him. When she first saw it, she had not thought much of it. But now, it felt like it was seared into the back of her mind. It was the last time she would ever see Alec's face.

The next time she saw him, he had been nothing but a pile of ashes, delivered in a matchbox.

Jane stifled a small cry of pain as she asked herself the questions she had dreaded thinking about until now. Why, why hadn't she gone with Alec to the Romanians? He would still be alive; they would still be sitting together watching the sunset, their favourite time of the day. She shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to use her imagination for once. She could perfectly picture him sitting next to her on that wooden bench, frantically snapping pictures of the beautiful scenery. "Isn't this beautiful?" he would ask excitedly, showing her the photos. She would smile and agree, even if she did not like them.

But when she opened her eyes again, all she was greeted by was the empty spot on the bench and the silence of the balcony.

Why? Why did it have to be Alec? Why did it have to be her twin?

Jane choked slightly as she remembered a distant memory, a human memory that had happened more than a thousand years ago. years ago.

* * *

"_Alec," five-year-old Jane clutched the sleeve of her twin brother as they hid behind the stairs, watching their parents discuss their fates. "Are we going to be burnt for being witches?"_

Strange things had started happening in the village. The townspeople suspected the two of them, as twins were very uncommon and were regarded as a bad omen back then. They were thought to be involved in witchcraft, and everyone knew that those people would be burnt at the stake.

_She saw the hesitation in his eyes as he considered that thought. "Maybe. I think so. But not yet. Not until we're older," he whispered back._

_Jane clutched the sleeve even harder. "I don't want to grow older."_

"_Me neither," he agreed. "But at least we have each other. We'll be burnt together, and we'll die together."_

"_Together forever," Jane declared, grasping Alec's equally tiny hand instead of his sleeve. He smiled and squeezed her hand._

"_Forever."_

* * *

The sudden realization that she had just broken a centuries-old promise hit her.

Staring up at the sky, which was rapidly-turning purple, she released all her pain, all the pent-up frustration that had been building up inside her.

"Why did you have to do this to me? Why, Alec, _why? _I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything bad thing I ever did to this world, every person I ever tortured! Don't you understand?

"You don't. That's the problem. You don't understand. You don't understand how much I love you, how much I need you. You don't understand that I'm willing to do anything, _anything,_ for you to be right here with me now. You don't understand anything!

"Just come back, will you? Come back for me. We'll fix everything between us, I promise. Come back, Alec, _please_!"

The silence that met her at the end of her speech was deafening.

With that last cry, she slumped back onto the bench, feeling weary and mentally exhausted. For the past few days, nobody had dared to come up to the balcony, knowing that she'll immediately torture them into leaving at once. She had proved that point when she made Aro writhe in pain on the floor.

Something metallic touched her neck, and she immediately felt as if someone had punched her through her chest, leaving her gasping for air that was not there.

The necklace was a present, made by Alec himself, given to her on a random day.

* * *

"_What's this?" she asked, touching the metal chain Alec had clasped around her neck._

"_A necklace. Something the rich people of our human village wore on special occasions."_

"_And you waited for a thousand years to give it to me?" Jane asked, feigning anger._

"_No, of course not," Alec answered, looking shocked that she would even suggest that. "I made it myself. Had to take quite some time."_

_She examined the necklace with more care. Each chain link was different from the rest, having its own unique shape. The necklace was plain, with just the chain and a rough-cut diamond that sparkled dully in the light which Alec had probably found on one of their many missions._

_It wasn't much, but it was the thought that counted._

"_I love it."_

_Alec's eyes lit up, and he smiled, kissing her cheek. "I wanted to get you something that would help you remember me when we're separated during missions."_

"_It's great."_

"_Only the best for my sister."_

* * *

Jane stood up, her pain and regret transforming to something darker, something sinister: revenge. She walked over to the edge of the balcony. Her hands gripped the railing hard. She was going to make the Romanians pay. She did not know how they managed to kill Alec, but she knew it was them. The taunting note attached to the matchbox of ashes was enough to lead her on the right track.

She was going to make them regret it. She was going to rip them apart slowly, reveling in delight at the sound their pain-filled screams.

They deserved it.

It would be a last tribute to Alec. After she was done with that task, she would be able to join him in peace.

"I won't fail you." This time, it was a soft whisper, instead of another cry of agony. "I promise."

And she intended to keep it.


End file.
